Last night, I decided that I was going to bake a sweet (no pun intended) recipe for my intern to celebrate the fact that it was Friday and we hadn’t lost our minds…yet. So, where does one go when she needs to find a quick recipe that will prevail the biggest of dessert critics (or just needy interns)? Pinterest, duh.

Now, here’s the thing about working with people. You really learn their quirks. For example, about a month after working with each other, I soon learned that Cat (our all-star intern turned junior associate) really had a thing for peanut butter. Which is dandy because I do too. So instead of taking coffee runs, you can often find us in the kitchen bonding over the one of two jars of Jif that I keep in the fridge. No shame.

The inspiration.

Naturally, I decided to make homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter bars. I printed off the recipe, dashed to the store and figured that there was no possible way I would screw this up because all you do is mix and freeze. Boy, was I wrong.

I put in the one-cup of graham cracker crumbs, the three-and-a-half CUPS of powdered sugar, the one-and-a-half cups of peanut butter and a tablespoon of butter. One of these things is not like the other.

You mean, this isn’t what homemade peanut butter cups are supposed to look like?

Needless to say, my recipe was actually a recipe for disaster. It looked like straight sand. My world crumbled in my hands. Literally.

Maybe blame the bottle of wine, but I realized that I had to have missed something. And by something, I mean 2STICKSOFBUTTER. Paula Deen would be so ashamed of me. So ashamed.

All I remembered was my fourth grade teacher saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.” So that is what I did. I dumped my mixture of failure into the bowl and added two sticks of butter.

And, whatdoyaknow, it turned out perfectly. If I can redeem myself, then so can the Democrats.

The beginning of August is here, which means that interns will soon be leaving and returning to college.

Personally, I loved being an intern. An internship teaches you so many different skills that you cannot learn in classroom. It gives you an opportunity to interact with coworkers, learn how to handle situations and to understand the workplace environment.

I often see interns stroll in the office, do a wonderful job and then when their internship is finished, they disappear. People, remember this: if anything, your internship should serve as a networking tool.

From a former intern, here are a few steps that you can take to ensure you make the most of your internship once it’s over:

Write thank-you notes. This goes a long way – believe me. Before you leave the office for the last time (or if you have already departed, you can mail your note), you should write a simple note expressing your gratitude towards your mentor and/or boss. Explain what you learned and little moments that impacted your internship. You want to leave on a great note, and this is a perfect way to do so.

Secure your references. You should have one person who worked closely with you serve as a reference on your resume. You can also ask them for letters of recommendation if needed!

Check in with your office. Every couple of months, you should email or call your supervisor to see how they are doing and to ask for advice. You can get their advice on your senior project, what type of jobs you should be looking for, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask for help with your job search – more than likely, they will want to help you!

Promote your company and internship program. You should let people know how wonderful your experience was and that you still want to be involved. If there are any events that your office is hosting, you should ask to volunteer and bring other students with you.

Keep in contact with your intern pals. You are going through the same thing. It’s tough to graduate and move into the real world. You’re friends will have similar experiences and can help you through it and give you advice. I still keep in touch with my “intern union” and we have helped each other through our first jobs, celebrated promotions, and listened when one of us had a bad day.

Being the first one to the office and the last one to leave can be tiring, but your boss will remember the little things that you did. Not only is it important to impress your coworkers during your time in the office but also afterwards. Now, go start writing your thank-you notes!

What advice do you have for students as they finish up their internships?

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